This invention relates generally to fishing equipment, and has particular reference to a novel body harness for supporting the butt end of a fishing rod.
In big game fishing in either salt or fresh water, the fisherman traditionally fights the fish from a "fighting" chair that is rigidly secured to the deck of the fishing boat and which is provided with a socket or other means for receiving and holding the butt end of the fishing rod. However, not all boats used for fishing are equipped with fighting chairs which means that the fisherman will usually fight his fish in a standing position, and some fishermen prefer stand-up fishing even when fighting chairs are available.
The problem with stand-up fishing for big game fish is that it is very difficult to hold the rod with one hand and work the reel with the other without the help of the butt end socket that comes with a fighting chair. In an attempt to solve this problem, a rod support has been developed by Braid Products, Ltd. of Woodland Hills, Calif. which is a rigid, molded member having a socket for the butt end of a rod, the member being adapted to engage the fisherman in the thigh area and being held in position by a strap or belt that passes around the fisherman's waist. The Braid rod support is flat and relatively small and has the disadvantage of being able to slip laterally from side to side as the fisherman is fighting his fish. The Braid rod support is the closest prior art known to the applicant; however, a search in the Patent and Trademark Office did not turn up a patent covering same.